ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro is hopeful that the Department of Education’s budget to improve its facilities will be increased.

The lawmaker welcomed the institutional amendment made by the House of Representatives in the approved version of 2023 General Appropriations Bill.

Castro said the amendment is a small positive step in having a national budget more attuned to the needs of the Filipino people.

However, she said that there is a need to increase the budget for the education sector.

Castro pointed out P20 billion was requested for school facilities but only P10 billion was approved.

“Though these amendments are still not final and can still be changed in the bicameral meeting, we hope that these allotments can still be increased by realigning the P9.26 billion of intelligence and confidential funds as well as the remaining funds for the NTF-ELCAC as well as other unnecessary funds to basic services,” Castro said, referring to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.